I am a compulsive traveler on a life-mission to visit every country on Earth. This blog is a journal of my experiences. I hope to share anecdotes, photos and useful information (like visa procedures!). If you want to contact me, please follow me on twitter: @insertindian.

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Ireland visa waiver for Indian Passport Holders

There’s been some buzz on the internet about being able to travel to the Republic of Ireland if you have a UK Visa in your Indian passport. For a while my Wife and I have been quite excited about this, since we both want to see Ireland.

But I checked up the exact wording of the visa waiver programme. It seems that you can only visit Ireland on a UK visa if you have a Tourist or Short term business visa. Bit of a bummer for us. I am here on a work visa and my wife on a dependant visa. Looks like we will need to get an Irish visa!

UpdateThree of my friends have recently entered The Republic of Ireland under the visa-waiver programme, on a UK tourist visa. Also, my wife, who is on a UK resident visa (Tier-1 Dependant), had to apply for a tourist visa to Ireland (they gave her a single-entry visa). Note: The visa was issued to her FREE of cost and took 1 week to process.

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23 thoughts on “Ireland visa waiver for Indian Passport Holders”

Is it true..infact im also confused as i have the same status on a work visa Tier 2 and wife has a tier 2 dependent. i was just booking the ticket when i read the wording..Can we check with some helpline..would like to talk to u if u can give ur no please..

Please see this at (Is there a ray of hope)http://www.embassyofireland.ru/home/index.aspx?id=86864Holders of UK “general visas” who have been successfully admitted entry to the UK, will be able to travel to Ireland within the period of validity of that visa without the requirement to obtain a separate Irish visa. UK “General Visas” are virtually all multiple entry visas and the vast majority are valid for use for a period of 6 months. A small percentage of “General Visas” are valid for use for a period of 1 year, 2 years, or in exceptional cases 5 years. The maximum period of validity of stay of all such visas is 180 days. i.e. You cannot stay longer in the UK than 180 days in any single visit, or a total of 180 days as a combined total of visits in any 1 year period. The maximum stay in Ireland will be 90 days, or to the end of the period of validity of the visa, whichever is the shorter. Overall, it is not envisaged that anyone could stay for longer than a combined total of 180 days in a year in the Ireland/UK Common Travel Area,

This line destroys the hope unfortunately: " The maximum period of validity of stay of all such visas is 180 days".Tier 1 and Tier 2 visas allow us to stay more than 180 days, so we clearly don't fall under the general category. I have tried contacting the Irish embassy in India, but couldn't reach them. Perhaps you can try calling them too?You can easily be in touch with me on twitter: @villdre

Hi Villdre!Your blog is really inspiring to a fellow Indian who wishes to travel. I wish to make my first trip to Cambodia. I believe there is this VOA in Cambodia. Is it hassle free?BTW, why is this aversion to Indians in many countries to grant visas nad unlike other countires Indian passport holders don't have VOA in many countries? Thanks,Sabarish

Just to update you guys on the situation. My wife recently visited Republic of Ireland. She had to get a visa from the Irish embassy in London. But the visa was issued FREE of cost. She is an Indian passport holder with a Tier-1 spouse visa.

I have a friend in Ireland and I want to give her a surprise visit, planning to go there in December. Could you please tell me how much money should be there in my bank account so that Visa Officer gets satisfied? I am planning to book some low cost Hostels in Galway to save money. please guide me more on this.

Nitin – assuming you are applying from the UK, the Irish Embassy website says you need to show 3-months bank statements, with a minimum balance of £250. In addition to that you can show evidence of paid hotel/hostel bookings. Click here for more information.

Hi This is Amritayour blog is just great!I need to travel to Ireland for job interview next week.Currently I have tier 2 general visa work permit valid until 2015.please advise wht documents would I need and how long will it take to get Irish visa.

Hi wanted to travel to ireland …my husband has business visa to UK. I would most likely be travelling as a dependent..I am passionate about seeing diff places of world..have seen places with visa on arrival such as hong kong and dubai…now need a glimpse of scandanavian countries…kindly help with visa requirements and other issues involved ….is it easier to visit any other place n europe or visa hassles are same all over…

Hi Neha … I assume the 'business visa' is a temporary visa (i.e. not a long term work visa). In that case you should both be able to see Ireland visa-free. Other countries where visa rules allow travel on a UK visa have, in the past, included Croatia, Bulgaria. Check out their embassies' websites for current visa information. Most European countries require a Schengen visa, but once you get it from one country you can travel to 27 countries on the same visa. So I would encourage you to look into that too.

Hi, I am on H1B visa in US with my spouse on H4 dependent Visa, I am travelling to Dublin on Business Visa, have couple of questions that i did not find on embassy website:
Does my wife need a seperate tourist Visa?
Does she need to have seperate Application?
Does she require to pay the seperate fees?

Hi GG … normally most countries would require your wife to have her own visa, unless she has also been issued some form of dependent visa (if she doesn’t have an Ireland visa label in her passport, then she doesn’t have a visa to Ireland). You should check with your nearest Irish embassy, but I would assume she would need to apply & pay separately.

Hello, I am an indian student in France with a long stay schengen visa. My question is that I have a UK general visit visa valid for six months expiring in April and can I use my schengen visa to get a free Irish visa using the same visa-waiver policy if I wish to travel to Ireland after my visa gets expired or do I need a UK visa at any cost?